Vehicle lifting and vibrating device



July 22, 1941. E. ARON VEHICLE LIFTING AND VIBRATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1940 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 E. ARoN 2,250.321 VEHICLE LiFTmG AND VIBRATING DEVICE Filed Feb. 12, 1940 :s sheets-sheet 2 July 22, Q-.

Fly 22, 41, E, ARON VEHICLE LIFTING AND VIBRATING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 12, 1940 V jaa@ Patented July 22, 1941 2,250,321 Y f VEHICLE LIETING AND VIERATING DEVICE Edmund Aron, Chicago, Ill., assig'nor lto MotovSway'Corporation of America, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of Illinois Application February 12, 1940,'SerialNo. 318,389 Y 6 Claims.

This inventionrelates to a class of ,devices extensivelyusedin effecting the lubrication of automobiles and'other vehicles.

In fthe greasing ,fof automobiles, three vWellknownmethods haveflong been inuse for placing the :vehicle in a position in-,Whichthose parts 'requiring vattentionwill@be readily accessible to the workmen." VIn one-'method :known Aasithe pit method, the automobile .is `driven lover a ground pit so as :tope'rmitaworkman standing inside of the pit to reachfthezparts whichare to be greased. Such pits arerusuallyprovided witha pair of tracks 'orrunways over which .the vehicle wheelsare driven".

'In the second method-a vso-called drive-on llift is employed. This drive-on lift comprises a vertically 'movable plunger which supports a pair 'of track'slor runways on which the vehicle is driven andsecured so that, when the. plunger is elevated, the entire vehicle is raised to an overhead positionvt'o enable a Workman standingon 'the floor to'haveaccess -tothe desired parts` of the vehicle. In the use 4of the so-called 'drive-0n 'times Contact vwith the supporting tracks or -rulnwaysan'd, in this position of *the wheels, the

wheels cannot-be-*removed for-greasing purposes. -The third-*method commonly employed involves vehicle yis raisedto an overhead position while the four wheels thereof are firee to rotate so that vany one or all of 'the wheels may be freely remqved-forfgreasingfpurposes or tire changes.

' Themain 'objectsof'this invention are to pro- "vide an improved vehicle" lifting and vibrating de- --vice Yvvhiczh is equally adaptedfor'use in connec- Ation with pits, drive-on lifts, .and free-wheel lifts;

to provide improved Vbridge means for vsuspending f the vibrating Fdevi'ce fromv the tracks rorgrunways Vofv arfpit or Vdrivefon lift; to provide a device of this -kind which may be used either as a'plain lift "or -jack for therpu'rpose of elevating any part of rtl'1'e'v'eh`ic1e body or as a vibrator 'for imparting the desired vibratory motionfto the l*vehicle forV Ygreasing,purposes; to provide a vehicle lifting f'ja'ckv `capable i of large variations in effective height; nto Vvpgrovide improved supporting Vmeans lf orfthe jackvvhich` will enable'the jack to be vreadily shifted laterallyv and; longitudinally oi the lift, the four wheels "of the-vehicle are at all 25 vehicle for application of the jack to any portion of the vehicleunder structure; to v'provide im# proved jack supporting means of this kindwhich will prevent any spreading vof the bars which supportthe `jack ,and will permitv the jack ,to be readily removed from thev greasing devicewhen it is tobe usedas a .single,liftingjacky'and .to provide an improved combinationlifting jackand vehicle vibrator -of =thiskind which is sturdyn constructionand efiicientinoperationl l. .l VIllustrative embodiments of` this invention .are shown in the accompanying f drawings, vvvhereir'i Fig. l 4'is an end perspectiveviewoff a fpair of tramways, showing -myimproved lifting [and ,Vibrating device mounted thereon ,A li f Fig. 2 is van enlarged verticalaxial VIV,section lthrough the lifting device or fjack, `viewed` on Aline 2-2-of,f1'ig.f1. l

Fig.' 3 is 'a sectional detail'ta'kenuon theline -3-3ofF1g-2. v i

' Fig. .4 is a fragmentary. section ltaken Yon the line Jil-,4 otFig.- 2, illustrating amanually operated lock fior holding` thefjack inffully vraised position. w y Y Fig ^5- is-.a vertical section-through .a -device `by which'the jack'mayfbe optionally operatedI either Ias a Vibrator o1' a'straightlifting jack.

g. "6 is Aa transverse'section, taken on th -li-ne 6-6 of'Fig. -5; V-

f K Fig. 7 kisan enlarged-fragmentaryjside eleva- :tion of a'bridge memberthat spansthe space be- 'tweenfthe trackways, and'is a'djustablel-bothgvertically and horizontally. f q 'f Y ,Fig. 8 isa plan section 'takenV on -ofFigJf7 1 y Fig.'9 is a vertical-axialsection throughfamodied form of jack employing ascrew actuated ad- .justment for "varying-'the :eiectivel height of vthe yjam; t ff Referringjfrst to Figs.'1, t7 andf8,-l'0 designates 'each of a'lpair of trackways for supporting an Iautomobile or other vehiclefor'purposes of.' lubrication; `These trackways'may-bemounted on therme-a nthe sides 'off a pit ortheymayfbe a partfof fa driveon"lift. Supported on andextending beftween adjacent inner edges of 'theitrackways I-0 fis -a bridge member' designated fas: an entirety by I Lwhich constitutes a support'for theliftingand justable both. lengthwise and fvertically.l

fbridge member 'comprises two f-parallel 'barseach consisting of outer-and innerf'telescoping;sections I 2 and i3, respectively. These'fare *also shown is to be Yused, alone.

central opening in the top wall Y fitting the l sides` of.

employ at each end a rack comprising spaced vertical plates I4 which are bolted to the bars I2 by bolts I5 and nuts I5.I. The bolts I5 are provided with annular shoulders I5.2 engaging the inner faces of the bars I2 to properly space the bars from each other.

Adjustably mounted on each of the plates I4, is a hanger I6, which is adjustably secured to the plate by a pair of screws 16.1 adapted to engage any one of the pairs of threaded apertures 16.2 in the plate, thereby permitting vertical adjustment of the hangers for raising and lowering the bridge.

The preferred form of pneumatic jack here employed is shown in vertical axial section in Fig. 2. It is of the telescopic type and preferably is constructed as follows.

I1 designates the cylinder or shell, and I8 the bottom wall of the lowest member. I9 designates the annular top wall of this lowest member, continuous with theupper portion of which is a lateral flange I9 that overlies and is supported by the bars of thebridge II. The ange I9' is securedby machine screws 20 to a horizontal annular flange 2I .on the upper edge of the cylinder I1, AThis flange 2| rests directly upon and is suspended from the outer telescoping members I2 ,of the supporting bars I`I; the outer and iner bars I2 and I3 being locked in adjusted position by clamp screws 22. The lateral flange I9 has on itsouter edge a pair of diametrically opposed depending hooks I9", best shown in Figs. 1 andv2, that overlap the outer sides of the bridge bars and prevent spreading of said bars under any sidewise shift of the jack toward either bar, in assemblies which may omit the tie bolts I5-or like means connecting and spacing the bridge bars. In this improved construction the jack may be freely slid along the members I2 for lateral adjustment, and it may be entirely removed by merely lifting it from the bridge when the jack Vertically slidable within this lowest member of the jack is a piston 23, to the upper side of which is attached, as by machine screws 24, the bottom wall 25 of the next Vhigher section of, telescopic jack; said bottom wall being integral with a cylindrical wall 26 of less diameter than the cylindrical wall I1 of the lowest section. The cylindrical wall 26 extends upwardly through and in sliding contact with the I9 of the lowest section, and into its upper end is tted a ring 21 attached as by machine screws 28.

Slidably engaged with the cylinder 26 of the intermediate section is a piston 29, to which is secured the lower end of the cylinder section 3U of thenext higher telescopic section, this latter having fitted into its upper end a ring 3l securedin place 'by machine screws 32. Slidably engaged with the cylinder 36 is a third piston 33, to which is secured a cylinder 34, the wall of 'whichisi Vconsiderably thicker than that of the lower cylinders 30, 26 and I1. In the upper end *of* cylinder 34is a ring 35 which, as shown, may be cast integral with the cylinder 34, and slidably ring 35 is a tube 36. As best shown in Fig. 3, in the upper end of the ring 35 are formed two Vertical slots 31 located diametrical- `lyopposit'e opposite each other, and extending entirely through the ring, and also two diametrically opposite shallow slots 38. On opposite A the tube 36 are two ns 39 which can either enter the shallow slots 38, as shown in Fig.

2 to 'support the tube 36 in a relatively high posi- "tion, or can extend through the fullflength slots f 31 to permit the tube 36 to occupy a; lower posi-- tion. In this lower position, the tube 36 is supported by an annular shoulder 40 on its upper` end coming to rest on the topedge of cylinder? wall 34. V

It will be observed that the space in cylinderf 30 below the piston 33 is in constant communi"-v cation with the space in cylinder 26 below ther piston 29 by a central opening 4I formed through the piston 29. Also, through the piston 33A and lengthwise of the cylinder wall 34 is a duct 42? which connects at its upper end with a radial? duct 43 formed in a disc 44 mounted on the upper end of cylinder 34. Entered into the outer endl of duct 43 is a nipple 45 containing an inwardly operi check valve, said nipple adapted to have applied thereto a hose (not shown) conveying' compressed air or other pressure fluid to the' jack.

To the outer side of the cylinder 30 is attached a vertical rack bar 46 which cooperates with a pawl 41 seated in a pocket 48 in the top of the ring 21; and secured to the outer side of the cyl inder 34 is a similar vertical rack 49 which cooperates with a pawl 50 seated in a pocket 5I in the ring 3l. These pawls 41 and 50 act automatically to maintain the cylinders 30 and 34 at any heights to which they may be raised by the pressure fluid admitted through nipple 45. The telescoping members may be later collapsed by inserting a screw driver into kerfs formed in the top of the pawls to swing the pawls back out of engagement with their respective racks.

The upper end of the tube 36 is tapped, and inserted therein is a threaded plug 52 on the upper end of which is mounted a cross-bar or plate 53 that directly contacts with the bottom of the car body, or with an axle. The racks and pinions above described afford breathing holes for the annular spaces surrounding the cylinders 30 and 34.

Communicating with the lower end of the lowest jack section I1, is an internally threaded a transverse wall of the valve fitting 58 is a port 60 shaped to constitute a seat for a valve 6I, the stein 62 of which has a threaded portion 63 engaged with an internally threaded portion of a valve stem fitting 64 that is screwed onto the outer end of the valve fitting 58; and on the ,outer end of valve stern 62 is a hand wheel 65 for opening and closing valve 6I. Mounted on theupper side of valve fitting 58 is an automatically reciprocating valve structure designated as an entirety by 66, the upper end of which carries an elbow fitting 61, with which is connected another valve fitting 68, similar to the valve fitting 58, the port 69 of which is opened and closed by a valve 10 similar to the valve 6I, and Voperated by a valve stem 1I and hand wheel 12. Mounted in the upper side of the valve tting 68 is a coupling 13 that receives a compressed air hose 14. Thereciprocating valve 66 is an old and known device and no claim thereto per se is'made herein.

Brieflydescribing the structure of this valve, 15 designates the valve cylinder within which is Screwed intothe upper end of the valve body 116 tudinalf duct 80; formedewitlr brancheseat' its-up- '-8 I and cornmunieatingv with said 1annular-'groove are four radialducts-Mii'ormed@ the tubular Ivalve body 116. Also, l' communicating rwith the annular groove "8 I -are four l :downward-ly '.confvergent ducts vv83 extending throught theE bottom -of the valve body16. v By reasonffefthisfstructure,- compressedvar liowing'downwardlythrough the portf19, 'depresses' the valvebody16and flows -ciamped between .the f-eibowfntting 161 fendi-'the upper capi 86V; --a'd betweenthe Lvalve structure ria1=which-servesfas` a'v m'lile'r. -`It -wf'ill'7 be observed that; there are differential areas on5 thetwo ends "-of *the valve,-so` that. with equal pressure -above and below'the fvalve, 'thelatterffwill'lmovempwardly.

Screwed into the top side'of the tting--SJ-isa pressed to its seat by a spring 92, whereby-air Acan blocked 'fagainstflow inl the reverse"`direction.

'I'his nipple 90 and the nipple-:45"may be `tif-'identical structure.

Describing the operation,-to-`=expa`nd the ljack into contact with the car, and assuming-that'- the telescopin'g fimembers of the' jack l'are in their lowest or fullycll'apsed positions; compressed air 1is firstturned'. on through-:nipple 45-fwhichfcauses the-member carryingpiston 29 tofrisefand :by

reasonY of'- the `differential*areas of pistons-29 and `33,-fatthe same-.time causes the member carrying piston '373.tof-rise,` and the .rising-.movement of the latter raises tube 36 (which .may.be.-.in its high or low 'position depend-ing on the distance betweenthetop of the jack and the-carlun'til the top plate 53 'co'mes into contact with the 'bot- `tom of the "car body or with a car axle. 1 The two intermediate telescoping members are automatically held in their raised positions'by the pawfls and 41. The hand valve l6I being then closed, compressedair is turned on through nipple 90, which raises all of telescoping members together. Since compressed air, especially when under a heavy load, tends to leak past the lowermost piston 23, I provide a simple mechanical lock for supporting said piston in its fully raised position. This is detailed in Fig. 4. To the outer side of cylinder 26 is attached a vertical strip 93, in the lower end of which is a hole 94. Welded or otherwise secured to the underside of the annular top wall I9 is a lug 95, and through this lug and the top portion of cylinder wall 26 is a hole 96. When the pressure below piston 23 has raised the latter to bring hole 96 into register with hole 94, a locking pin 91 is inserted through both holes, so that, even if the pressure below pis- 'iiow downwardly `through the 4nipple but is ton '23Jshould Ileak upwardlyl past the latter; the -pi'stonZS-will maintain the superposed parts'of the jack and the load in fully raised-position.

lTofoperate the mechanismasa vibrator-instead-Eef las almere-lifting Ajack;-the-'operator transfersithe air -hoseI from -nipple tovcoupling 13 (or closes a valve in the 7hese'on nipple-90 and opens-afsimilarfvalve in' hose14, if two separate hose'are used) ,-'-an dthen opens both handlvalves 102 and I, 'having previously retracted the lock- -in"g-pin-91. The Abuilt up pressure beneathfpiston 23 reacts von thelo'werend'of valve 16 and` raises iti to the-position 'shown' inv Fig. 5, so that thefair beneath pist-on'f23isi-exhausted through ports83, `channel i8I land exhaust'ports 94. This"1owers the pressure on the lower end of valve 16 below the pressure-ont its upper end, so thatA the' valve 'descerifdsf cutting off thefexhaust through Vports 84, andthe pressure'by Viiowing beneath piston `23 raises-the latter and V`its load until lthe pressure in 'the jackagain builds up toa Apressurev equaling t-he `inlowng `pressure, whereupon the valve `agaiirrises to permit' exhaust. lThis cycle'isv repeated with comparative' rapidity producing k'a shinrmyingf or vibrating' movementA on the: load, which,V as before stated, eiectively ydi'strilfn'ltes Aand spreads the applied grease.

E fliigf-Q *shows -a modification 0fA the jack, which 'retains the lower Vftwol pneumatically operated load lifting cylinders I1 and 26, the formerhavthe latter the piston? 23-fan`d top ring`21, las' inthe "construction shown inFig.' 2. The upper two cylyiriders-ll and t4,V their pistonsl arid 'the `air supfplyserve'dfr by nozzlef 45, Aaridtheir -pawl' and rack locking devices, constituting' the height-adjusting members of the jack of Fig. 2, aref-however A'cmiitted arid replaced' by '-a single long screw 98 'that 4is engaged-with the threaded upper erdf portion leff-'a'fiixe'd up'rightf'99 stepped on thebottom Y-wallZ- "of :cylinder`A 26and at Aits-upper end iitted li-nto# and vinterlocked (against rotation) with the "topringzt '-Thetube 36 ofiFig.f2 is replaced by `a'fralm'e *structure comprising `alower" plate |509 sWiveledonf-the vlip'per'end of-screwi98 and' yieldfably'l locked-against 'rotation by-a 'Y spring-'pressed "ballf-H)1,A an itermediatepedestal IUZhaVing a fbasea-ng'eQ F03; carrying"dowelsL [04 engaged with ""I06ffo'rme'd vvvith holes Al 01, and a"I horizontal carengaging spider I08 carrying v-dowelsIIlSI engaged 'fw'ith thefholes 1F01. In vthe upper-end' of screw 98 are transverse `-holesl|l0 and f'lllfthrough feither -of vwhich Yis passed la handle bar yI'I2f'for loperati-ng the Ascrew 98 to raise 'the spider" HI8-into jcontactwiththe'bottom orfan axlev of the car body. vyWhen this has' beendone, air is turned on -into thefsp'ace beneathpistoni23 from nipple"90 Lto-iirst raise the load and permit the application fofgrease or oil, `and this' may? be followed bymv air admitted through the reciprocating valve 66 to shimmy the car body up and down and distribute and spread the oil or grease, all as abo-ve described in connection with Figs. 2, 5 and 6.

For use on trackways which may omit the upstanding flanges on their inner edges, I prefer to employ bar end extensions to overlap the trackways such as are shown in Fig. 9; the same comprising plain rectangular brackets designated as a whole by II3, the vertical limb II4 of each bracket having the function of the vertical rack plate I 4 of Fig. 1, and the horizontal limb II5, which is integral with the vertical limb II4, taking the place of the hook I6 of Fig. 1, and resting on and crosswise of the trackway. The horizontal limb I I5 is preferably reinforced andstifl'- ened by a longitudinal rib IIB on either or both sides thereof.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that this improved jack may be used as a single jack for lifting purposes or as a vibrator for vibrating a Vehicle.

From an examination of Figs. 1, 2 and 9, it will be seen that the bottom wall I8 of the jack is llat so that when the jack is lifted out of the supporting bridge it may be placed on the floor or ground so as to be supported on its flat bottom I8 without the use of any other supporting structure. The jack is thereby readily portable so that it may be conveniently used as a lifting jack.

It will also be seen that when the device is used as a vibrator the jack has a great variety of possible adjustments. The sliding connection between the jack and the bars I2 permits the jack to be moved laterally so as to be adapted to engage any portion of the under-structure of the vehicle. The sliding connection between the bridge and the runways also permits the entire bridge and jack to be moved longitudinally of the vehicle.

From an examination of Fig. l, it will Vbe seen that the jack extends both above and below the supporting bridge which increases the stability of the device.

Although butfcertain specific embodiments of this invention have been herein shown and described, it will be understood that details of the construction shown may be altered without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a bridge structure comprising parallel bars adapted to span the space between parallel trackways and at their ends slidably rest on said trackways, in combination with a jack formed between its ends with a lateral flange overlying and supported by the bars of said bridge, said flange having on its outer edge a pair of diametrically opposed depending hooks overlapping the outer sides of said bars and preventing spreading of said bars under sidewise shift of the jack toward either bar, said jack being laterally movable lengthwise of said bridge and its lower portion being suspended by said flange between and below said bars, said jack being removable by merely lifting it from said bridge.

2. In a device of the class described, a bridge structure comprising parallel bars adapted to span the space between parallel trackways, tie bolts extending between and through the end portions of said bars and having threaded ends beyond the outer sides of said bars and annular shoulders engaged with the inner sides of said bars, clamp nuts on said threadedends, vertically adjustable members attached to and crosswise of the ends of said bars, and hangers attached to said vertically adjustable members and overlapping said trackways, yby which the height of said bars may be varied, in combination with a jack slidably suspended from and between said bars and laterally movable lengthwise of the latter toward and from either trackway.

3. In a device of the class described, a bridge adapted to span the space between parallel trackways, and comprising parallel horizontal bridge bars spaced laterally suiliciently to admit a jack between them, racks each consisting of laterally spaced vertical plates disposed crosswise of the outer sides of corresponding ends of said bridge bars and horizontal bolts extending through and connecting-both said bridge bars and plates, said bolts formed with annular shoulders bearing on the inner sides of said bridge bars, andA hangers rigidly attached to the vertical plates of each rack and adapted. to overlie and rest on said trackways.

4. In a device of the class described. a bridge adapted to span the space between parallel trackways, and comprising racks each consisting of laterally spaced vertical plates,A each having a pair offvertical rows` of threaded holes, and horizontal bolts connecting and spacing said plates, parallel horizontal bridge bars at their ends supported onA said bolts and spaced laterally sufllciently to admit a jack-between them, hangers adapted to overlie and' rest on said trackways, and screws for rigidly attaching said hangers to Vsaid plates through engagement with any horizontal pair of said threaded holes, whereby the height of said bridge bars relatively to said trackways may be varied.`

5. An embodiment of the structure defined in claim 1, wherein each of the parallel bridge bars consists of telescoping members, one completely surrounding the other, permitting adjustment of the length of the bridge to llt different spacings of the trackways.

6. In a device of the class described, a bridge structure comprising parallel bars adapted to span the space between parallel trackways and at their ends slidably rest on said trackways, in combination with a jack having a pair of diametrically opposed laterally extending members adapted to rest on, and hook over the outer sides of, said bars and prevent spreading of said bars under sidewise shift of the jack toward either bar, said jack being laterally movable lengthwise of said bridge and its lower portion being suspended by said members between and below said bars, said jack being removable by merely lifting it from said bridge.

EDMUND ARON. 

